Paramount to oversee licensing

Studio brings operation home

Several years ago, studio — then under different leadership — and parent company Viacom made Paramount Licensing a unit within Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products under the banner Paramount Licensing. Now, the studio will once again have direct oversight of Paramount Licensing, which will continue to be run by exec VP of licensing Michael Bartok, who will report to Par prexy of worldwide marketing, distribution and home entertainment Rob Moore.

Moore said the move reflects the studio’s digital expansion and its increased focus on launching film franchises, such as “Star Trek” and the “Spiderwick Chronicles.”

“It is clear that the most efficient and effective way forward for Paramount is to have direct oversight over the exploitation of our properties,” Moore said.

Par Licensing will oversee worldwide licensing and merchandising for all films turned out by Par proper, DreamWorks, Paramount Vantage and Nick Movies/MTV Films across a broad set of categories, including themed restaurants, theme parks, stage plays and film clips licensing.